Padmini Malayalam Movie
Names have relevance in this comedy drama that has adequate potential for burgeoning in various directions. 'Padmini,' also attributed to the car brand in the film, begins the ride by exposing the typical follies and absurd practices in making a marriage fruitful. Senna Hegde-directed film holds a mirror to the vital role of volatile personal choices in materialising nuptial relationships. The director of 'Thinkalazhcha Nishchayam' once again banks on the intricacies of getting married and the dilemma of individuals when traditions and law act as stumbling blocks to their plans.
Intended to be a humorous take on the system of marriage, 'Padmini' accelerates well in the beginning and the ride is progressing smoothly. It relates the dilemma of a poet and Malayalam lecturer whose marriage lands him in a soup. On his wedding day, Ramesan, played by (Kunchako Boban), helplessly witnesses the elopement of his wife Smrithy (Vincy Aloshious) with her lover Siju (Althaf Salim) in a Padmini car in the wee hours of night. This riveting scenario is a perfect premise for the film, giving an impetus to the expectations about the upcoming events in the life of Ramesan. In fact, scenarist Deepu Pradeep of 'Kunhiramayanam' fame falls in the complacency mode while lending creative wings to the promising start in his screenplay and Hegde shifts his narration to a lethargic pattern by letting things go out of his hands.
Ramesan gets the nickname 'Padmini' in his village after his tragically-culminated marriage and he becomes an object of mockery even after two years of that incident. He even hates to see the Padmini car when he bumps into it in front of lawyer Sreedevi's (Aparna Balamurali) house during his first meeting with her. Meanwhile, Ramesan's inferiority aggravates when a guest lecturer named Padmini (Madonna Sebastian) joins the college. This juncture really sets the plot to another level as Ramesan faces a new dilemma in college. By this time, the connection established by director Hegde among all major characters creates a new impression. The hopes of viewers shine at the pinnacle of conflict when the hero gets ready for another marriage, resulting in cropping up of another issue in his life.
In another track of the plot, mattress company owner Jayan (Sajin Cherukayil) and Sreedevi decide to marry even as the latter is quite often annoyed by the possessive attitude of the former. Jayan also exudes shades of patriarchal dominance which is well defended by Sreedevi. With the entry of Jayan, the movie's humour aspect thrives but when he goes overboard in a few situations, it really affects the flow of narration.
Inclusion of the advertisement of Jayan's mattress in the name of novelty at the interval and climax portions really plays spoilsport as far as 'Padmini' is concerned. An unbridled approach by the director in handling the character amplifies the downfall of the film, coupled with a frivolous climax.
Finding an apt life partner appears to be a conflict here and the intended humour hardly blends with the theme consistently. Kunchako with a grave appearance rightly immerses into the depth of the character. Perhaps, Ramesan is the sole striking character who undergoes various emotional layers in the film. While the actor exudes well the mental dilemma of the protagonist, the performances of the rest of the cast appear to be mediocre. Overall, the comedy drama achieves a good start and carries on the momentum to an extent before breaking down due to slipshod writing and execution.
MOVIE REVIEWS